"Our general rule is that we will respond to any aggression, no matter where it occurs." The Iranian Ambassador to Spain, Reza Zabib, responded unequivocally to the question of whether the Rota and Morón bases would be targets if the United States used them in the operation against Iran. During a press conference at the Embassy, the diplomat emphasized that "the Spanish government's reactions against aggression, rejecting and condemning it," and reiterated that any attack would be met with a response.
His statements come after two of the five American destroyers docked in Rota, the USS Roosevelt and the USS Bulkeley, left the base for the Eastern Mediterranean to support the 'Epic Fury' mission. Additionally, three planes took off from Rota heading East. Despite this, the Spanish government has denied any operation to the Trump administration to use the two bases in the operation. The Defense Minister explained that there is a treaty with the United States regarding the bases, but such "actions" require "international support" in the form of a resolution. However, the attack on Iran lacks "that framework of international legality." "The United States and Israel are acting unilaterally, without the support of an international resolution, and they are not using those bases," the minister emphasized.
Defense Minister Margarita Robles responded by stating that the naval base is not being used in the operation: "Absolutely not, no type of assistance has been provided at the bases in Morón and Rota," the minister summarized when questioned by journalists during an event in Armilla (Granada). Asked about the departure of American tanker planes deployed in Morón and Rota, Robles explained that "they left because they were not going to carry out any actions." "The U.S. Army decides what to do with the tanker planes, which have neither carried out nor will carry out any maintenance or support actions, and probably that's why they have decided to go to other bases," she explained, as reported by Europa Press.
Robles sought to reassure about the situation of the over a thousand soldiers deployed in the Middle East region. She stated that the troops in Lebanon and Iraq "are fine," but the former spent the night "bunkered" due to the conflict escalation. Robles pointed out that the troops deployed in Lebanon, Iraq, and Turkey are taking "all preventive and security measures" in the face of the attacks by the United States and Israel against Iran, which have led to bombings by Tehran.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, summoned the Iranian Ambassador to Spain, Reza Zabib, following missile launches in Cyprus throughout the day yesterday. The information was confirmed by the head of the diplomatic mission to EL MUNDO: "I have received an invitation," he stated during a press conference at the Embassy, explaining that he will then head to the Ministry. Simultaneously, the Spanish Foreign Minister reported that the meeting is "to express our rejection and condemnation of these unjustified actions by Iran towards the countries of the Middle East" as well as against Cyprus. During the meeting, the Iranian ambassador will be demanded to "immediately cease" and will be reminded that they are also endangering the Spanish citizens in the region at the moment, around 30,000. Albares, however, has not yet summoned the U.S. ambassador or the Israeli chargé d'affaires.